TCC: 2010 Honda Insight Sales Off To A Sluggish Start?

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Sales of the 2010 Honda Insight haven't kicked off at as quick of a pace as anticipated, leading Honda to cut its first-year sales projection by roughly a third.At the time of its launch earlier this year, when Honda rolled out the Insight at a base price of $19,800, Honda disclosed a yearly sales target of 100,000 units, and had remarked ..

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maybe people are tired of ugly dorky looking vehicles that are one trick ponys.

also, the first wave of 'early adopters' has gone and gotten their 'look at me i drive a hybrid!' cars.

new prius might be taking insight's customers. some.

prius is not selling like hotcakes either.

TCO for a hybrid is still not where it needs to be. again, people are averse to buying fuel as a primary reason. the early adopters it was a social statement. but now people want real return on investment and want more conventional packaging.

FUSION HYBRID.

JETTA TDI.

your basic hot hatch with great performance has better TCO than a hybrid. Buy a Kia Soul or Mazda3 and you save money and its not a smily egg with a weird interior.

the economic crash has rightfully started to move us away from this cultural problem of everything needing to be green, hopefully now moving to a 'what is feasible to be green' era. then, the folks that want green can conceivably put their money where their mouth is.

unfortunately for volt, it might make that DOA..............

hopefully ed begley and alexandra paul still get enough direct to dvd porn gigs to be able to foot the bill for their electric cars..........

Insights major problem in relation to the Prius is that it did not promote their hybrid system to be complicated enough. Therefore I sense some 'second tier' perception from envirosnobs when compared to the Hybrid Synergy Drive (the Xerox, COke etc. of the hybrid industry). At least Honda's system is on par with BAS.

Anyone wanting to save gas right now can get a 35mpg Focus for 13-14k off the lot and get enough fuel savings and not have to blow 23,24k on the Prius.

Mark my words, China or India will become the big sellers of hybrids once they get their footprint on our soil. They can build it cheaply and get the cost down to where folks will be fine paying for it everyday.

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the Honda Insight uses drum brakes at the rear. I wouldn't be surprised to see it turn into a dud like the old model and the Accord Hybrid. It's beyond me why Honda even built it considering the Civic Hybrid is vastly superior.

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the Honda Insight uses drum brakes at the rear. I wouldn't be surprised to see it turn into a dud like the old model and the Accord Hybrid. It's beyond me why Honda even built it considering the Civic Hybrid is vastly superior.

The Civic Hybrid is a FLOP. This will not be one, people that want these the "green snobs" want everyone to know they are saving the world. Trust me.

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the economic crash has rightfully started to move us away from this cultural problem of everything needing to be green, hopefully now moving to a 'what is feasible to be green' era. then, the folks that want green can conceivably put their money where their mouth is.

Gosh I hope your right. And the rest of your post was great by the way!

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the Honda Insight uses drum brakes at the rear. I wouldn't be surprised to see it turn into a dud like the old model and the Accord Hybrid. It's beyond me why Honda even built it considering the Civic Hybrid is vastly superior.

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Gosh I hope your right. And the rest of your post was great by the way!

its ironic in a way. most folks are sold on the notion of a hybrid to save gas, more because saving gas in theory saves you money to drive. but, hybrids have always been marketed to the green intelligentsia crowd, which has been willing to blow cash to get one, partially to outwardly show their supremacy and better brain. In order to keep it fashionable in that way, it has to remain semi expensive so not everyone can one up the intelligentsia. However, the high price has left sales low and in return has seriously put doubt in the minds of many automakers as to whether they can build and sell these things in volume to the mainstream at the prices the mainstream wants them to be at.

5-7 years ago that was fine, but TODAY and for the next couple years at least, more than ever, a new vehicle purchase has to justify itself as more than a fashion symbol for most Americans.

Its kind of like organic foods. It has to be priced high enough so only a certain crowd can buy them. Otherwise is loses is mystifying allure to the folks that shovel their money out for it.

Edited June 16, 2009 by regfootball

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its ironic in a way. most folks are sold on the notion of a hybrid to save gas, more because saving gas in theory saves you money to drive. but, hybrids have always been marketed to the green intelligentsia crowd, which has been willing to blow cash to get one, partially to outwardly show their supremacy and better brain. In order to keep it fashionable in that way, it has to remain semi expensive so not everyone can one up the intelligentsia. However, the high price has left sales low and in return has seriously put doubt in the minds of many automakers as to whether they can build and sell these things in volume to the mainstream at the prices the mainstream wants them to be at.

5-7 years ago that was fine, but TODAY and for the next couple years at least, more than ever, a new vehicle purchase has to justify itself as more than a fashion symbol for most Americans.

Its kind of like organic foods. It has to be priced high enough so only a certain crowd can buy them. Otherwise is loses is mystifying allure to the folks that shovel their money out for it.

The new Prius essentially democratizes the automobile equivalent of organically-grown food: $22K for a spacious, functional, and utilitarian hatchback that trades a bit of acceleration for a lot of fuel economy and much less pollution. Toyota already has 80,000 pre-orders for the new car, and it's targeting a much broader audience than the earlier two generations.

The new Insight, on the other hand, capitalizes on the Prius's distinct looks but not much more. With less room, a harsher ride, a cheaper interior, and poorer performance, it's a more compromised vehicle.

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you can't say Prius and democratic in the same sentence. "Socializes" maybe makes more sense. As in socialistic society.

Honda should have aimed to make the insight unique in its own way, rather than coming off as a korean knockoff of the original. figures though, the new accord even seems like a korean knockoff of itself. The new Pilot even seems like a cheap imitation of its own original.

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the Honda Civic gets a redesign for the 2011 model year and at least the current model uses rear discs and a rear multi-link suspension. Exactly why Honda even built this vehicle is beyond me.

It's beyond me why Honda even built it considering the Civic Hybrid is vastly superior.

It's ok, allow me to explain it.

The point of the Insight isn't to get unbelievable miles per gallon or be the ultimate hybrid. The point of the Insight, iterated by Honda countless times, is to be a hybrid that is much more accessible to everyone. Cost was the main goal, not mileage. It broke the $20,000 mark while still being well-equipped and delivering excellent mileage. Insight - 19,800. Civic Hybrid - 23,650.

In terms of MPG, it's a mixed bag but most reports I've read put the Insight above the HCH in mileage, both calculated and from the computer.

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The point of the Insight, iterated by Honda countless times, is to be a hybrid that is much more accessible to everyone.

Honda can say whatever they please, what matters is if anyone bothers buying it and Honda already knows nobody will. Apparently Honda feels the need to sell a hybrid inferior to their own 4 year old Civic for a couple thousand less.